Real Betis look to make more history in their first ever European final

This could be a historic week for Real Betis, who will take on English side Chelsea in the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday. It is the first ever major UEFA final for Los Verdiblancos, a team looking to win a second trophy under Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini, who previously led them to the 2020/21 Copa del Rey. The celebrations when Real Betis won the domestic cup were wild, and even crazier scenes should be expected if they bring European silverware back to Seville. 

The final is taking place at the Wrocław Stadium, in the Polish city of the same name, and thousands of Béticos are making the trip. Even more will watch the game on giant screens back in Seville, at the Estadio Benito Villamarín. 

On Friday night, the fans gave the players a goosebump-inducing send-off following a 1-1 home draw against Valencia CF, their final LALIGA EA SPORTS game of a season in which Los Verdiblancos have finished sixth, already securing Europa League football for next season. “It’s impressive to play in front of these fans every week,” midfielder Pablo Fornals said of the crowd’s send-off. “I’d never played for a fanbase like this in Spain.”

Real Betis’ first ever UEFA final

In their history, Real Betis have won four major titles, in the form of one LALIGA EA SPORTS championship back in 1934/35 and three Copa del Rey triumphs. Now, they’ll look to add a piece of UEFA silverware to their trophy cabinet, and become the first Spanish club to win the UEFA Conference League in the fourth season of this competition’s existence. 

For Real Betis, this is also a chance to do something which their neighbours Sevilla FC have often done, which is to lift continental silverware. If Los Verdiblancos win on Wednesday night, they’ll become the eighth different Spanish club to have won a major UEFA club competition, after Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Sevilla FC, Atlético de Madrid, Valencia CF, Villarreal CF and Real Zaragoza. 

By reaching this final, Real Betis have already demonstrated their credentials. They have defeated Gent, Vitória de Guimarães, Jagiellonia Białystok and Fiorentina in the knockout rounds to reach the showpiece event, winning the first three of those ties by multiple goals before overcoming the Italian side in extra time of their semi-final, when Ez Abde scored a late goal in Florence. 

A fifth meeting with Chelsea

Real Betis and Chelsea have met four times in the past, but not since November of 2005, when they faced off in a Champions League group game. Although Real Betis have lost three of their previous four clashes with the club from London, they did win that most recent meeting 1-0 at the Estadio Benito Villamarín, when legendary striker Dani scored the only goal of the game against a team coached by Jose Mourinho. 

For coach Pellegrini, he has taken on Chelsea several times over the years and has a perfectly symmetrical record against The Blues, with four wins, four losses and three draws from his time taking them on with Manchester City and with West Ham United. 

It’ll certainly be a tough task for the Spanish side, but they do have top-level players in the form of the veteran Isco or winter loan signing Antony, who on Friday night scored his ninth goal since joining the club. As Pellegrini put it following that final league game of the campaign: “This has already been a great season, and now I hope we can underline it in a special way on Wednesday.”